


First meetings or the beauty of the unexpected

by headbanging_nightrunner



Category: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Broadway, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, First Meetings, Fluff, It's been a while, M/M, Phantom of the Opera AU, Prompt Fic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-03-28 12:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13904250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/headbanging_nightrunner/pseuds/headbanging_nightrunner
Summary: In every universe, regarless of circumstance, Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood are destined to meet.If you like this and would like to send me Malec first meeting prompts, don't hesitate to contact me.





	First meetings or the beauty of the unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I don't know if anyone remembers a story called "The Curse of Love" published on ff.net back in 2015. This story and that one were written by me. Many things happened with college graduations, post graduate program applications, job hunting and then I lost access to my ff account. Anyway, I recently rediscovered the files for these stories and if anyone's interested in sending me Malec first meeting prompts or would like me to reupload "The Curse of Love" please don't hesitate to send me a message here or to my tumblr: headbanging-nightrunner

Alec couldn't believe he was actually going through with this. He was not a particularly artistic person, but somehow he had let himself be convinced by his siblings to attend the most recent production of  _The Phantom of the Opera._ Both Jace and Izzy had begged him to go with them to the matinée that would present the new cast. He couldn't blame his siblings for being excited and bubbly, after all, their respective partners had landed some of the main roles. Clary would interpret Christine Daaé, while Simon would play the Viscount Raoul de Chagny.

He had heard nothing but news about the play for the past two months, everywhere he heard Clary, Simon, Jace and Izzy talk about the rehearsals, the tests for the different outfits, how diligently the stage directors were working on the sets. It was getting on his nerves really, so he might as well go and enjoy the show as a guest with his family.

That was the reason the three of them were now rushing outside their home and to the subway station at 12 pm. God, why must all Broadway matinées be at 2 pm? And why were his siblings so set in arriving at the theater with so much time to spare? They wouldn't be able to greet Clary and Simon until the show was over.

"Hurry up, both of you, we're going to be late!" Izzy said, for the umpteenth time, annoying Alec further.

"No we won't! Izzy you need to calm down, it's a 30 minute ride on the subway, even with the change of routes!" By now Alec was too exasperated with his sister's anxiety, some of it was even rubbing off on him.

To Alec's amazement, Jace agreed with Izzy "I know we have some time, but we really need to hurry, we should be there on time"

Alec just sighed and gave his brother and sister a tiny "We will be, now stop panicking, it's like you are the one's going on stage instead of Clary and Simon"

So ended their little argument and they finally headed outside their house. They arrived at the subway station after a five minute walk and hoped on the first train that would get them to their destination. After twenty minutes they switched trains again and by 12:40 they arrived at the station in Broadway and Fifth Avenue.

They arrived at The Majestic Theater at 1:00 pm sharp, just like Alec had guessed they would, but he said nothing, Jace and Izzy were extremely nervous and excited, any comment he made would probably backfire.

"You need to relax guys, they both will be great" He said, as they entered the lobby of the theater, they were the first people to arrive, other than the staff.

"Oh, I know Clary will be a fantastic Christine" Jace said, a cocky grin on his face "I'm just nervous about Simon screwing up and ruining her career"

Izzy elbowed her blond brother on the ribs because of that comment. Alec put his hand on his face to muffle his chuckle. Better Jace than him!

"Ouch, I was just joking, I'm sure Simon will do a good job too" Jace amended, though it was obvious that he did so grudgingly. Izzy had quite the strong arm, and he had chosen a bad time to poke fun at her.

He left his younger siblings to their own devices while he walked around the lobby. He saw a big plaque by the main entrance that listed the current cast and the rest of the staff, like stage designers and choreographers. He felt an unexpected rush of happiness at seeing Clary listed as the protagonist and Simon as her love interest, Raoul. He read the name "Camille Belcourt" who would be playing  _La Carlotta_ and then wondered who had been cast as the title character of  _The Phantom of the Opera._ He let his gaze glide back to the top of the plaque, were the name should be, he found it then. Magnus Bane, Alec didn't recognize the name and neither one of his friends spoke of him. Come to think of it, the rest of the cast was the one thing Clary and Simon never talked about.

He noticed more and more people arriving and soon the lobby was crowded. He looked around, searching for his brother and sister in the sea of bodies. After a moment he heard his name being called and was relieved to find Jace and Izzy at the start of the line, tickets in hand.

"There you are!" Izzy scolded "Stop wandering around when the doors are so close to opening,  _especially_ if you don't have your ticket!"

"Geez  _mom,_ calm down" Alec placed an arm around his sister's shoulders in a motion that was meant to be reassuring "You need to relax, Simon will do great"

Izzy didn't say anything. Denying all of her insecurities and anxiety like she always did. The three of them chatted about the play and the things they most looked forward to while they waited for the doors to open.

"I really want to listen to Clary sing 'Think of me'" Jace said, a dreamy look plastered on his face "Every time she rehearsed it at home she told me that she sang it while thinking of us"

Alec made a gagging noise and doubled over, pretending to puke "You two are so sweet, it's actually sickening"

Beside him, Izzy started laughing "You really are. You are so lovey-dovey all the time, it could piss some people off"

The blond boy flipped them a rude gesture, which only made them laugh harder. Alec was very pleased with himself, he had finally gotten his siblings to relax and look forward to the play without feeling anxious and instead they were now bubbly and overexcited like five year olds in a candy store, which Alec had thought was better than their previous mood. That impression was, however, very short lived.

At last, the doors opened. Each of his siblings grabbed one of his arms and they ran for the stairs screaming excitedly. He saw the organizers and the theater staff scowl at them, but they didn't care, Izzy and Jace were giggling with excitement while they dragged him through the beautifully decorated halls and towards the sitting area. There were women at the bottom of the staircases that lead to each section of seats, they were handing out the play bills and pointing clueless spectators to the section where their seats awaited.

They had been placed in the premium sections, best view in the house. Usually three of those tickets would have costed them almost a thousand dollars, but Clary and Simon had just showed up with the seats yesterday and said nothing about their price. Alec guessed it was one of the perks of being friends with two of the stars.

While Jace and Izzy chatted away happily, waiting for the curtain call Alec started skimming through the booklet they had been handed. There was a lot of publicity for other musicals and TV shows, but he also saw the full list of the cast, along with their black-and-white pictures. His eyes were immediately drawn to the picture of the mysterious phantom: Magnus Bane. Alec noticed that the man was extremely attractive. He had almond shaped eyes, which vaguely hinted at an Asian heritage, his skin was dark and his eyes were light, though Alec could not tell the exact shade of either because of the pictures being black and white.

The oldest Lightwood child was caught by surprise by the pang of anticipation growing in his stomach. He was looking forward to seeing this man's rendition of Erik the dark, talented and passionate main character.

He noticed three people arriving, taking the seats beside him. It was a woman with blue eyes and hair, though you could only see the blue of it in the right light. She was dressed in cyan medical scrubs and for her disheveled look, she had most likely come here straight from the hospital where she worked. Beside her stood a tall man, he had green eyes and green hair, but contrary to the woman's case the shade of green he had gone for was quite noticeable, with or without light, he was dressed in perfectly cut jeans a simple but elegant long sleeved shirt and a brown leather jacket that brought out his eyes. Simple and elegant. The third person in the group was a young boy who couldn't be more that fifteen, he had dark skin a mop of dark curls in his head. Alec couldn't help but compare the boy to one of those little angels depicted by painter of the renaissance. And then the kid opened his mouth.

"Why the hell did  _I_  have to come along? You are his friends, the ones he wants here. No tiene sentido!"*

Alec didn't get that last part. But it was obvious by the kids grumbling that he didn't want to be here.

"Come on, Raphael" Said the green-eyed man calmly "You'll get to make fun of the diva's weird costumes, and imagine the jokes we can make at his expense when the show is over"

This seemed to pacify the teenager, who finally sat down next to the other man. The woman seemed oblivious to their exchange, she was reading the playbill intently.

"What are you doing Cat?" The green eyed man asked.

"Nothing much" The woman –Cat- replied "I was checking the rest of the cast, they are all very young, but have worked in several other productions, it looks like a first-class cast. So it should be a good show, it will be a good experience for Raphael, and a way to pass the time for you, Ragnor"

Ragnor greened and turned towards Raphael "You see? This should be interesting"

The boy just rolled his eyes "Como sea, ya quiero que se acabe" **

Cat and Ragnor chuckled "It hasn't even started yet!"

Alec missed the joke, it was in moments like these that he wished to have paid more attention during his foreign language classes in high school.

He was brought out of his reverie when Jace nudged him softly on the elbow.

"Did you listen?" he asked "That was the third call, the show's about to start"

Alec noticed that the lights in the audience had dimed and the curtains on the stage had been drawn open.

A huge chandelier took up most of the space. Alec recognized the scene, sadly it was only because he had seen the movie. He knew the play would open to an auction and an elderly Viscount of Chagny.

He had to give to the make-up crew, they had done a good job of making Simon look like an old man. Beside him he heard Jace and Alec exchange words excitedly

And so went the play. After a while the character of Christine was finally introduced and Jace clapped loudly, which made some of the spectators scold him with angry mutters. But then, when she sang "Think of me" it was not only the three of them who clapped proudly with tears in their eyes. It didn't scape Alec's attention than when Clary reached the high note at the end of the song she looked down at the audience (more specifically at Jace) and gave her most dazzling smile, which made the audience cheer louder, not knowing who that gesture was truly aimed at.

The iconic moment of the play came. The duet between Christine and The Phantom. Their first encounter face to face. When he appeared on stage Alec was enraptured. All he could see was beautiful caramel skin and gorgeous golden eyes that shone brightly, even behind the mask. He heard the three people beside him murmur something, but he paid them no mind. He was entranced by the man's voice, which was at once powerful like a storm and sweet like honey. Alexander felt as if he had been transported to another world, where only this man existed and he could hear his voice forever

_Sing my angel of music…_

Alec was confused at himself, he had never felt this intrigued by anyone before. He thought he could not be more amazed by Magnus Bane's imposing stage presence. That was when "Music of the night" started. He was bewitched, waiting for the beautiful man to sing his next verse, and Alec felt as though the song was meant for him

 _Floating, falling, sweet intoxication_  
Touch me, trust me, savour each sensation  
Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in  
To the power of the music that I write  
The power of the music of the night

And for that moment Alec was transported into the world of the play. How anyone could not chose him? The Phantom and the scorching fire of his dark passion, the tormented soul behind his talent? How did someone reject a love like that? His rational mind knew that The Phantom's love was unhealthy and obsessive, but Alec was dazzled by the presence in front of him. For one wild moment, he thought that when The Phantom's eyes wandered to the row of sits where he was sitting the man's beautiful eyes fixed on him for the briefest of moments.

_You alone can make my song take flight  
Help me make the music of the night_

By the time the interlude came Alec couldn't hold his curiosity any longer, he fumbled through the pages of the playbill, desperate to find out some more about the magnificent actor that had managed to get under his skin like that.

There was not much information besides the art school he attended in uptown Manhattan and a few other plays were had interpreted secondary character. Like Simon and Clary, this was his breakthrough role, and Alec didn't doubt that he would soon become extremely famous.

"Earth to Alec, are you even listening?" How long had Jace been standing in front of him?

"Huh?" was the only eloquent response the blue-eyed man managed.

"I said Izzy and I are going to walk around, stretch our legs a little, maybe look for a bathroom that isn't packed, you coming?"

"Nah, it's only a ten minute pause, I would rather stay"

Jace shrugged and turned toward Izzy and they both walked away together. The three people beside him didn't move from their seats either, though the young boy started talking again.

"I'll admit, Magnus is a good singer" He said, managing what Alec thought was the over-statement of the century "Nunca juzgues un libro por su portada, my mother used to say"***

Again, Alec missed half of what the boy tried to say, since his Spanish was not particularly good. Luckily nobody had too much time to talk, before long, his siblings hurried to their seats again, cursing about almost missing the beginning before the lights in the audience went out again.

The second part of the play went by in a blur. Sooner that Alec would have liked the climax of the story arrived, with The Phantom kidnapping Raoul in hopes of threatening Christine to choose him instead. And again Alec wondered, why would anyone decide  _not_ to choose that beautiful man?

When the play ended Alec shot from his chair, clapping and cheering loudly. Both Izzy and Jace shot him a questioning look, but they too stood up and clapped even louder than him, thinking it was only for Clary and Simon's sake. The three people that had been Alec's neighbors for those three wonderful hours were next to stand, and soon the whole audience was giving the cast a standing ovation.

From this close, Alec could see the satisfied smile in Clary and Simon's face, the former also had tears of happiness in her eyes, while the latter looked slightly flabbergasted, as if he was living an out of body experience. Alec's froze however when his eyes set on Magnus. The man was looking dead-on at him, a small smile on his face and a questioning glint in his gorgeous eyes.

When the whole cast came on stage to give the audience a final bow he noticed Magnus Bane scanning the crowd and again, their gazes met. The beautiful singer gave the tiniest of nods and winked.  _Actually winked._ Though it surely wasn't meant for him. It couldn't be.

After a few minutes, when the actors were done bowing and the audience finished cheering. The cast went backstage. Most of the spectators left, though some lingered with hopes of getting an autograph from the actors they found attractive.

After a while the main cast came on stage to sign playbills and take pictures with their fans. Alec accompanied Izzy and Jace who hugged and kissed their significant others, telling them how proud they were. Alec didn't miss their possessive stances or the kisses that clearly said: Mine, take your picture get your autograph and back off!

He stood a few feet away, giving his siblings their space and letting the disillusioned men and women get their pictures. Then he surprised himself by searching the hoard of bodies for his favorite actor, until he found him. Magnus Bane was chatting happily with the three people that had sited beside him during the play. Cat, Ragnor and Raphael, if his memory didn't fail him. He wanted to approach the man so badly, but he was too embarrassed to go through with it.

He felt someone push him, propelling him forward and straight into the handsome actor's field of vision. He turned around and noticed Clary, enveloped in Jace's embrace, her arm still stretched.

"Go for it" she mouthed, winking knowingly before turning her attention back to her boyfriend.

Alec felt himself blush to the root of his hair when his brilliant entrance – That is, nearly falling on his face and stumbling in front of the actor- got Magnus Bane's instant attention, the man was now staring at him and again Alec noticed the amused look on his face.

"Can I help you beautiful?" The actor asked in a voice that was smooth as velvet, but then Alec should have expected that, with the beautiful way he sang.

"Huum" he muttered, feeling his face grow warmer by the second "I-I…was…hum I-I  wanted to ask…"

"Yes?" Magnus prompted, chuckling softly under his breath

Alec extended his hand and smacked his playbill into the other man's sculpted chest.  _Stop staring at him, god dammit!_ He chastised himself, though it was too late to try the whole don't-look like a freak approach.

"C-Could you sign that?" He got out at last. Though by this point he knew his blush must have made him look like a very good impression of a tomato.

"Sure thing darling, no need to be so shy" Magnus Bane winked at him, then swiftly turned to his friends and asked for something to write with.  _I asked for an autograph and I don't even have a pen, I must look like such a loser, Way to go Lightwood!_

Magnus hand brushed the pages with an elegant flourish, and Alec couldn't help but wonder what those deft fingers would feel like roaming his skin instead of the playbill.  _Stop that, get a hold of yourself!_

Too soon, the actor gave him the tiny booklet back and as their hands brushed lightly, he felt the man's caramel skin linger on his moonlight pale hand for the briefest of instants. Surely it must have been his imagination.

Magnus Bane winked at him for the second time that night and Alec felt his heart stutter, he turned and walked away fast, but spoiled his dramatic exit by tripped over his own feet, nearly falling off the stage. He heard a low guffaw of laughter behind him, but refused to turn around. So what if that gorgeous man realized he was a klutz? They would likely never meet again.

He looked down at his playbill, expecting to see one of those generic signatures and a legend about being grateful for the support. What he read stopped him dead on his tracks

 _Thank you for the standing ovation, darling. You made my day! Would you like to go for coffee with me sometime?_   _-M.B._

By the time Alec noticed the phone number written in elegant calligraphy at the bottom of the note, he was already stunned beyond any rational thought. His brother and sister shot him weird looks all the way home, but he didn't care.

Musicals were awesome.


End file.
